Miles And Miles To Go At SPJIMR, Mumbai - CA Aman Agarwal

22 September, 2016

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By SPJIMR Mumbai

Alumni | SPJIMR Mumbai

After getting two professional degrees prefixed to your name and working in an MNC with a secured job, the last thing you will think about is aspiring of MBA. After a long tiring day at work, looking at the CAT study materials needed much effort and it made me question myself if the efforts were really worth it. These efforts landed me into this prestigious B-School of India. Like every other MBA aspirant, my first aim was IIMs and I guess that was natural. But as the saying goes “Every Man has his Own Destiny” and SPJIMR was mine.

So when everyone was here at the campus trying to mix with the new people around, I was at home but that did not keep me away from the happenings of the campus thanks to the WhatsApp Groups. After four days of the commencement of the course, I landed in Mumbai on a humid evening and set off towards the place which would be my house for approximately the next two years. The curiosity of seeing my room and roommates was at its peak. I entered my name in the register and took my key to the room which was left by my roommates for me. Entering the room, the whole backdrop leading to the present situation ran in my mind.

So, the next day went in going through all the registration procedures and meeting my batch mates. Hearing about the surprise quiz taken on the 2nd day (which I missed), made me realize that it is going to be a roller coaster ride here. With the classes off to a start, quizzes lined up one after another and submissions almost every day I was served with the whole B-School Course on my table. The one unique thing about SPJIMR is opting for specialization before you join here and I had taken specialization in Finance (Does a CA have many options?). So, I was the Finance Guy or as they better call it as GHISSU with the age-old belief that Finance people have a characteristic of scrubbing. But, all in all, I was very excited about SPJIMR, be it it's Abhyudaya initiative or ADMAP or its unique pedagogy and I was looking forward to making my two years worthwhile.

The sessions here have been a great learning experience. Even after having a Commerce background and knowing almost all the concepts of finance (finance is a huge field to say that you know it all), the concepts covered in the class made me feel different (though at times I still question my decision of pursuing MBA). The practical application of finance concepts in management has been a learning curve for all of us though it has been difficult for everyone. The first hit of Accounting Equation and Financial Statements meant it was time for peer learning and not ordinary peer learning but on a whole new stage of 'Addas'. I took one of the Formal Addas and many Informal Addas giving me a realization how tough can it be to teach people.

So, here I am almost three and a half months down at SPJIMR and in the journey till date I have come to know people through a visit to Lonavala, learnt management concepts with the help of design thinking, solved problems framed from close nearby environment, met seniors who do not act as seniors, faculty who are like your friends, came to know about different cultures through cultural and social events, and there is still much more to look forward to. I have to work with my mentee to guide her under the Abhyudaya program, work as a team and learn administration skill under the ADMAP program, give back to the society through social work under the DOCC program, the much talked about the GFT where I will get to go to Cornell University for classes and the one of its unique Autumn Internship (which no other B-School has) and when my journey will be close to the penultimate stage I would question myself again- “ Was it Really Worth the Efforts?” and everyone will reply me with a Yelling YES, followed by the HISS and TICK TOCK Salutes (Unique Discoveries of our batch) and the melodious Slow Thump for asking a senseless question. So, if any MBA Aspirant is in two minds about coming here, you better don’t be. It is a lifetime experience, starting from the admissions form to the group interviews to the selection and hopefully till the end of the course.

If you ask a SPARTAN (as the SPJIMR students are known as) what is his/her ROI in the last three and a half months, he/she will simply say the time and efforts invested along with the funds will be rewarded in terms of values, relationships, overall development, understanding of the management world along with understanding about oneself. You will be happy about the fact that you have learnt so many things while you were having fun (even pressure situations have their own enjoyment). The small moments will be the ones which will make up the whole big story at the end and one will cherish the same throughout its lifetime.

So, to all the future SPARTANS, All the Best and you are welcome to SPJIMR!!